The Amiot 143M was a late 1930s French medium bomber originally conceived as a "multiplace de combat": an all-purpose aircraft which would be used as bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and escort fighter.

Development

Felix Amiot’s 1925 design was selected in 1928 for production over rivals Bleriot 137 , Breguet 410 and SPCA 30 . The prototype designated Amiot 140 flew in 1931, but actual production of the aging design did not begin until 1935 and continued for lack of a replacement until March 1937.

Despite the ungainly two-tiered structure, slow and unmaneuverable performance, and obsolescent architecture, the Amiot 143M was a sturdy plane which was popular with its pilots. Notable were the very thick wings whose engines were accessible in flight.

The Amiot 143M production model mounted a turret in the nose and dorsal turrets, both of which housed one or two 7.5 mm MAC 1934 MGs. In addition, a single 7.5mm MAC 1934 MGs was mounted in both fore and aft of the ventral bombing gondola.

Operational history

The Amiot 143M entered service in July, 1935. The design was already ten years old and was quite out of date. Nevertheless, 87 Amiot 143M were in the front line. 50 equipped four metropolitan groupes: GBs I/34 and II/34 in the north, GBs I/38 and II/38 in the East, and 17 equipped one African groupe as of May 10, 1940.

During the Phoney War, Amiot 143M groupes carried out reconnaissance and leaflet raids over Germany. Upon the start of the Battle of France, the Amiot 143M was used in night attacks on German lines of communications. The most significant action involving the Amiot 143M was a daring daylight raid on German bridgeheads near Sedan took place on May 14, 1940. A force of thirteen planes from GBs I/34, II/34, and II/38 led by Commandant de Laubier encountered German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters en route. Twelve bombers were destroyed.

By the time of the Armistice, the Amiot 143M had dropped a total of 523 tons of bombs. 53 Amiot 143Ms were in the Unoccupied Zone and 25 were in French North Africa. They were reorganized into GBs I/38 and II/38 and were used until July 1941 when they were replaced by LeO 451 bombers.

Some planes of the II/38 served as a transports for the French in Syria. This groupe later went over to the Allied side after their landings in Africa. The last Amiot 143M was retired from sevice in February 1944.

A few Amiot 143M are reported to have been commandeered by the Germans and used as transports. Only 11 planes were left in the Unoccupied Zone when it was occupied by the Germans in 1943, and only three were flightworthy.

Had the war gone on a little longer for France, it is likely that all of the Amiot 143M would have ended up in a training role, having been replaced by more modern bombers such as the Breguet 693. The obsolete plane was never intended to have such an important role come war time, but slow French production made its use necessary--often being pulled from training squadrons to shore up bomber groupes!

Variants

• Amiot 143M - Only production model (148 built)
• Amiot 144 - Reduced wing area, flaps, and retractable undercarriage. No front turret. Prototype only.
• Amiot 145 - Amiot 144 with Hispano-Suiza 14A4 engines. Never built.
• Amiot 146 - Amiot 144 with [[Gnôme-Rhône 18] Lars engines. Never built.
• Amiot 147 - Derived from Amiot 144 with Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs/frs engines.
• Amiot 150BE - Amiot 143 with 10% larger wing and floats for use with Aéronavale. Prototype only.

The Amiot 143 saw service with the Armée de l'Air (138)

Total production (including prototypes): 154

Specifications (Amiot 143)

General Characteristics

• Crew: five (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Bombardier, Gunner)
• Length: 18.3 m (59 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 24.5 m (80 ft 5.75 in)
• Height: 5.7 m (18 ft 7.75 in)
• Wing area: 100 m² (1076.39 ft&sup2)
• Empty: 6,100 kg (13,448 lb)
• Loaded: 9,700 kg (21,385 lb)
• Maximum takeoff:
• Powerplant: 2x Gnome-et-Rhône 14Kirs /jrs, 650 kW (870 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
• Range: 1,200 km (750 miles)
• Ferry Range: 2,000km (1,240 miles)
• Service ceiling: 7,900 m (25,920 ft)
• Rate of climb: 279 m/s
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Power/Mass: kW/kg ( hp/lb)

Armament

• 4-6x 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns in nose and dorsal positions as well as in front and rear of gondola
• 880-1600 kg (1,936-3,520 lb) of bombs

References

• Breffort, Dominique & Jouineau, André. French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942
• Weal, Elke C., Weal, John A., Barker, Richard F. Combat Aircraft of World War Two

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Bristol Bombay, Junkers Ju 86, Heinkel 111B, Martin B-10,

Designation sequence:

See also:

• List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air, World War II